Six Months: Post-Retirement Budget

At 18 months out, we suggested requesting a NYSLRS retirement estimate. You should have that estimate by now and, with it, a much better idea of what your retirement benefit could be. Now, you can prepare a post-retirement budget and make decisions about your goals and how you want to spend your money in retirement.

Four Months: Proof of Your Birth Date

We will need proof of your date of birth before we can pay you any benefits. You won’t need to send it in until you submit your retirement application, but now is a good time to make sure you have what you need. We’ll accept any of these documents as proof:

Birth certificate;

Baptismal certificate;

Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214);

New York State driver’s license issued on or after January 1, 2005;

Passport; or

Naturalization papers.

In most cases, a photocopy is acceptable. If you do send us the original, we will return it to you.

It’s a good idea to look for proof of your birth date sooner rather than later, in case you need to arrange to get a replacement. Also, if you’re thinking about choosing a pension payment option that provides a lifetime benefit to a beneficiary, we will need proof of your beneficiary’s birth date too.

Yes, generally, a photocopy of a New York State driver’s license issued on or after January 1, 2005, is acceptable. However, if you have specific concerns, we recommend calling our customer service representatives at 1-866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area).

We apologize for the lengthy processing time. NYSLRS is working diligently to address the record number of retirements and new member enrollments we are currently experiencing. Our first priority is to make certain pension and death benefits are paid timely and accurately to the more than 470,000 retirees and beneficiaries we serve.

To help meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, we have undertaken a major computer system upgrade designed to improve service well into the future. This multiyear project will help us better serve our customers by streamlining processes and expanding self-service options, some of which will be available later this year.

As we switch over to newer technologies, it is inevitable that we will encounter some bumps in the road. We appreciate and thank you for your patience during this time of transition.